


I'm Not Batman

by OkiAshi



Series: The Other Side [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-06-27 16:06:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15688800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OkiAshi/pseuds/OkiAshi
Summary: I'm not Batman. Sadly, there isn't one in this world. But in the DCU, Batman does exist. So when Poe Martin wakes up surrounded by members of the Justice League, and realizes that Batman and Poe have switched roles, he is completely terrified. As amazing as being Batman sounds, Poe (and I imagine a lot of other people) are not prepared to fight a psychotic clown, or fight a two faced man who flips coins to see if someone will live or die. So yes, Poe is absolutely petrified. But imagine how the true Batman feels, waking up as a wimpy high schooler. Eventually, Poe and Bruce decide to join forces and find out how to change back into their true form. But to do that, they'll need to find (and defeat!)  the villain who did this to them, which is harder than it sounds.I don't any of the characters in this work.





	1. I'm Confused

Poe’s POV

“Batman.” I groan and roll over. Sure I’m Batman. Staying up all night and going toe to toe with the Joker is  _ exactly _ something I would do. Haha. I keep my eyes closed, but squeeze them even tighter. 

“ _ Batman. _ ” The speaker’s voice is familiar, but not familiar to the point that I can connect it with a name. It’s a woman, for sure, but I’m not close with any women other than my mother and sister.  And I’m not even really close to my sister. 

“ _ Batman!”  _ Another person speaks up, a man this time. Again, his voice is very familiar. I feel sudden annoyance. Who are these people? And can’t they see I’m not Batman?

“He’s barely staying awake as it is,” The man speaks again. “He fell pretty hard.”  _ Fell? _ Someone starts lifting me and pain shoots through my back. I jerk a little and bite back a scream. While I’m not as brave as the Bat, I’m definitely not gonna scream while I’m surrounded by strangers. No way. I’m already known as a wimp in school.  

“Sorry.” The second guy murmurs. 

“C’mon, Robin, I’ll take you home. See you later guys.” A third voice says. 

“Aaandd he’s off.” The second voice sighs. 

“What did you expect?” The first voice asks, and I can hear the smile in her voice. 

“Good point. I’ll see you tomorrow?” The second voice says, lifting me higher. 

“Absolutely. And probably Batman too. You know how he is.” Both of them chuckle.

“Yeah. Sometimes I can barely believe that he’s just a man.” The guy says. I’m being hoisted so high that I feel like my carrier must be about ten feet tall. 

“I think most people have the same thought.” The female voice says. 

“True.” There’s a pause, then- “Robin’s probably back at home by now, so I guess I have to go.” 

“Right. Okay, bye!”  
“Bye.” The man says, and all of a sudden I’m feeling the wind in my face and am traveling who knows how many miles per hour. 

I think the air woke me up a little, because I promptly remember whose voices I just heard, and make sense of why I’m “flying”. If I wasn't in such extraordinary pain, and in the air, I’d jolt up right. I don’t know how, or why but I, Poe Martin, have somehow switched places with the Caped Crusader.  But instead of being in my regular body, I’m Batman. And I’m being carried by Superman. 

******

I must have blacked out or something, because the next thing I know, I’m being shaken awake yet again, and an elderly man with a mustache is leaning over me, shaking his head.

“Why am I not surprised?” He says with a British accent. I don’t say anything. This guy looks so… so dignified, but yet I get the feeling that if I tried to argue with him I’d be verbally slaughtered.

“Oh, that’s right,” he continues mockingly, grabbing my arm, “I stopped being surprised  a great many years ago.” He pulls it back and I yelp. 

“I would have thought you would have gotten used to dislocating arms. I very much doubt that your arms are in the same position that they were in when you were born.” He shakes his head again. Who  _ is  _ this man? 

“Although, I have to admit, I’m almost surprised that you passed out after a sprained wrist and a broken leg. Superman told me that you saved the day again, though, so I guess it’s all fine and dandy.” I fight back a grin. Funny. Usually, I’d be smiling by now. But then again, you hardly ever see Batman smile, so I’m pretty sure I’m subconsciously trying to imitate him. I force myself to sit up, then wince. 

“Oh, right, I also forgot that you hurt your back pretty badly.” The guy says again. He sighs. “I apologize for being a bit snappy, but I wish you wouldn't just brush off all your scars and broken bones, Master Bruce.”  _ Bruce?  _

“Hello, Father.” I turn my head to see Robin behind me. I just kind of nod. I don't really know on what terms Batman and his son are on, so this is the safest bet. 

“Have you finished your schoolwork, Damian?” The super sassy guy says. 

“No, but it’s a Friday. I have the whole weekend to finish it, Alfred.” Damian says. That's when it clicks. Robin looks a lot like Damian Wayne, which is Bruce Wayne’s son, which means Batman is…. No. Freaking. Way.


	2. 16 Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so this next chapter is from Bruce's point of view. See how he reacts to having a "normal" life. At the end of the chapter, he'll meet an old friend.

Bruce’s POV   
  


“Poe! You’re late!” Someone yells.  _ Poe? What type of nickname is that?  _ I stretch. Then I notice that I’m not in pain. I’ve trained myself to ignore pain, but this is different. I don't have  _ any  _ pain. I’m just groggy, like I’ve slept for a whole night for once. My eyes snap open.

“Poe! Don’t make me come up there!” The person yells again. It’s a woman, and, while sounding frustrated, the tone of her voice tells me that she’s used to yelling at whoever “Poe” is.

I sit up and look around. The walls are all pale grey, apart from the wall behind me, which is red brick and partly covered by a huge poster with the GCPD logo on it. The room itself is sparse.

“Poe!” A woman bursts into the room. I whip my head around. The woman has frizzy brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. She glares at me. A girl with wavy black hair peeks over her shoulder then sighs. 

“See? I told you he wasn't gonna be ready on time.” She rolls her eyes.

“Quiet, Chloe,” The mother says, not taking her eyes off of me. “Well?”

I stare at her blankly, not just a little puzzled. “Well...what?”

“Well, get dressed! Your track meet is starting in ten minutes! We’ll be late, but if you get ready right now, we’ll only be five minutes late.” She sighs, sounding like Chloe. 

“Right.” I push off the covers. They leave, closing the door. I have almost no time to wonder what happened last night, so instead I search the room for a robe. My eyes land on a track uniform. Even better. I grab it and quickly get dressed, then open the door and step into the hallway. I find the stairs and run down them, in time to hear a beep from a car outside.

I hear someone clear her throat and spin around. Chloe stands holding a bag.

“This is your seventh track meet, Poe. When are you going to remember to bring your bag without having your little sister telling you to bring it?” She seems serious, but then her mouth turns up a little. I smile as well.

“Sorry. Maybe next time?” I shrug. 

“That’s what you said last time.” She replies. The mother honks the horn again.

“You better go, before Mom explodes.” She points towards the door. 

“Yeah.” I say goodbye, because I’m pretty sure that’s what a brother would say to his sister, then leave. I feel really rushed, which is odd, because I’m usually not like that. I guess Poe is though.

I step inside the car.   
“Where’s your sister?”

“She was supposed to come?” 

“Of course she was,” The mother huffs, “Call her.” I open the bag. It’s a blue drawstring one. Poe’s phone is sandwiched between a water bottle and an extra outfit. It’s funny. I acted on instinct. I grab the phone.

I press down on the home button, and my fingerprint lets me in. I manage to call Chloe.

“Hey.”

“What do you want, Poe?” She sounds exasperated. She should meet Alfred. 

“She wants you-”  
“Who wants me to do what?”

“M-” I hesitate. This might hurt. “Mom wants you to get in the car.”  
“Tell her I told her yesterday that I was going to Emma’s house today.” She growls, then hangs up. I push down annoyance. I guess this is how people feel when they call Batman.  
I relay the message to the mother, and she groans. “That’s right. I forgot.” Then she starts backing out of the driveway. I go on the phone’s camera, and look at myself. 

I’m a young boy, around sixteen, I would guess. I have spiky dark brown hair and mismatched eyes. One of them is green, like Chloe’s. The other one is blue, like her mother’s.

I frown and lean back, turning off the phone.  Something went wrong last night. But the thing is, I can barely remember what happened, which concerns me more. I always remember my previous fights, at least a little. I could ask Clark, Barry, Diana, or Damian, but I would just look a fanboy, and they wouldn't take me seriously. 

I struggle to remember what happened while the mother drives. After a few  minutes, the car stops. Someone thumps my window. I snap my head to stare at a boy with shockingly white hair. He grins at me, and I force myself to give a small smile back.

“There’s Asher!” The driver says happily. I open the door.

“Hey, man!” Asher thumps me on the back.

“Hey.” 

“You’re quiet.” He cocks his head. I scramble to come up with an excuse.

“Well, I’m half asleep.”

“Ha. Aren’t we all? It’s seven, after all. C’mon, let's do a practice race. Maybe that’ll wake us up.” He says. 

“I’ll be by the bleachers. I’ll take your bag with me.” The mother says. I nod, then start running.

“Hey, man! No fair!” Asher calls after me laughing. I grin and run even harder. Poe’s fast, I’ll give him that. Asher is barely keeping up. 

“Yeah, Poe!” A girl shrieks by the bleachers. I wave involuntarily. 

“Great to know you care for me, Addie!” Asher calls out. She laughs. 

I see the finish line in front of me. Even though I know that it's just a practice race, I pump my legs even harder. I have to admit, it's nice to be running hard just for the fun of it. 

I rush past the finish line. Asher follows me a few seconds later. We collapse laughing.

“You slaughtered me, dude. That was your best time yet!” He grins at me.

I begin to respond, but that’s when I see him. Damian. 


	3. Meeting The "Actual" Batman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is when Bruce and Poe finally meet each other. How will the interaction go?

Poe’s POV

It’s weird, seeing myself racing Asher. I mean, my mom has recorded me running before, and I’ve watched myself before, but this is different, obviously. I’m watching myself through Bruce Wayne’s eyes. I still can’t believe that he’s Batman. Or I’m Batman. Whatever.   
I sent Damian down to greet “Poe” at the finish line. He’s getting suspicious. He has every right to be, since I told him to talk to a kid that he’s never met, at a event I’m pretty sure he didn't know existed.   
Anyway, he’s down there now, walking towards Poe. Wait. I mean Bruce. You know what? I don’t think I’ll ever see him as Bruce Wayne anyway so I guess for now I’ll just call him Batman. Batman is pushing himself to his feet. Damian has reached him now and is standing over him. Batman looks up at the bleachers and locks eyes with me. He looks back to Damian and says something, and Damian tenses up and nods. Suddenly, I realize that I’m walking down the steps. I figure it’s okay, because it seems like something Bruce would do.   
When I reach them, I flash a big smile at Batman. He gives the barest of nods. I’m doing alright so far. Asher waves at me, then leaves. He doesn't do well with celebrities.  
“Father, this is Poe Martin. Poe, this is my father, Bruce Wayne.” Damian introduces us.   
“Hi, Poe.” I extend my hand. He grins and shakes it. Hey, Batman’s not doing so bad either.   
We stare at each other for a few seconds. Then Batman speaks.   
“I don’t know if you remember my application, but I sent one in for the brunch with you.” Turning to Damian, he says, “Mr. Wayne came to my school a few days ago and told my track team that if any of us apply to have brunch with him, and win first place during the third race, we’ll be able to eat with him and spend two hours with him at Wayne Tower.” He squints his eyes slightly at me. I nod. This never actually happened, but Damian doesn’t know that.  
“Why the third race?” Damian asks me.  
“It’s easier to win the first race, because you have a lot of energy. Same goes for the second race. But by the third race, you’re almost out of energy. I wanted to see which team, more specifically, which person, has the most stamina.” Good thing I took improv from third grade to eighth grade.   
Damian studies both of us for a moment, then grudgingly agrees. Phew.   
Someone blows a whistle, and all three of us whip around.   
Coach Cox gestures for Batman to join him. “C’mon, Martin!” He hollers. He sees me.  
“Oh. Hello, Mr. Wayne! Sorry to break up the discussion but I have to get my team ready.”   
“No problem.” I say, smiling a little bit. This is the first time Coach has not directly yelled at me.  
*******  
I don’t really pay attention in the first and second races, pretty much because I don’t care what happens. I hold my breath for the third race though.   
Batman wins by a mile. I grin and make my way down the bleachers, passively shaking hands on my way. Batman sees me, looks around and sees other people watching, and waves enthusiastically.   
“Congrats, kid!” I say when I arrive.   
“Thanks, Mr. Wayne.” Batman replies. There’s a moment's pause, then he says,  
“I’ll just go tell my…. My….” We stare at each other for a millisecond, then he forces out “Mother.”   
“Alright. I’ll wait here.” I say. Damian, who has caught up with me, doesn't say anything, but I see his eyes narrow a little.  
******  
I make a quick phone call with Alfred, explaining what was going on. Obviously I don’t tell him that I’m not who I look like, but I tell him the same thing I told Damian.   
“Very well, Master Bruce. But I hope you didn't forget your meeting with Mr. Kent tonight.” My heart sinks. I’m horrible with people. Apart from Asher, of course.  
“I know.” I choke out.  
“I’m ready, Mr. Wayne!” Someone says from behind me. I quickly say goodbye to Alfred, and hang up. I turn around and grin at Batman.  
“Great!” I look around for Damian. I see him a little ways away, drinking some lemonade.   
“Alright, let me just get Damian and we’ll go.”  
We pick him up then make our way to the limo. The first time I went inside the Wayne Limo, it took everything not to gasp. I’ve never been a limo, but I’m guessing this one is the best of the best.   
Before I can knock on Alfred’s window, he rolls down the glass, secret agent style.   
“Hello, Master Bruce, Damian…..” He spots Batman, “And you must be Poe. It’s an honor.”  
“Thank you, sir.” Batman looks down, as if he’s trying not to smile. Damian opens the car door.   
******  
After a brief argument, Damian grudgingly agrees to go back to Wayne Manor with Alfred, after Alfred drops Batman and me at Wayne Tower.  
A few minutes later, we’re here. I pause, realizing I have absolutely no idea where Batman’s office is.   
“Follow me.” Batman whispers, so I do.


	4. I Make Yet Another Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Bruce talk about the possible culprits of their predicament. Who is it, and how did they do this?

Bruce's POV

The kid’s doing alright. I mean, he isn't acting exactly like me, but from a stranger point of view, it would seem as though nothing had really changed. When it comes to Alfred, there’s two possibilities. Either, he really thinks nothing’s changed, or he does realize something’s off, but he knows that I’m working on it. The second option is more likely. 

He seems to have accepted Poe though. If he hadn’t and he knew that something was wrong, the kid would have been turned over to the police, or he would be lying in a hospital bed somewhere because my butler beat him up.

Now, I stop by my office door. “Third key.” I murmur. The kid fumbles with the keys for a few seconds, then inserts the key. After turning the key, the door pops open. We go inside. I shut the door firmly behind me.

I sit on a armchair behind my desk, while Poe takes my old seat. We don’t say anything for a moment.

“I’m guessing you found out my….” I say, and Poe nods. 

“Okay. Look, I know people will be willing to pay a lot of money for the identity of you know who, but-” I begin, but Poe interrupts me.

“You can rest assured that I won’t tell anyone, sir. I promise.” He stares into my eyes. I stare back at him. He seems honest.

“Alright. Call Neil -that’s the secretary- and tell him that you don’t want to be disturbed.” I give Poe Neil’s number. He dials and gives him the message.  
“Until…”

I look at my watch and then hold up two fingers. 

“Until two.” I nod. That gives us about three hours to talk, if we need it.

“Great. Thanks, Neil.” Poe hangs up. We stare at each other a little more. Poe’s openly nervous now.

“You’re doing good, kid.” I say. He nods. I clear my throat. 

“So. Did you do anything unusual yesterday?” 

“Not really…. Did you do? I mean, unusual for Batman?” Poe asks. 

“No,” I shift in my chair. I might as well tell him. “I don’t really remember anything, to be honest.” Poe has the decency not to smile or tease me.

“Who were you fighting?” 

That question is easy to answer. “Brainiac. We- the Justice League- were in Metropolis. That’s the odd thing. Apart from from Superman, who lives in Metropolis, we were are all there only to fight Metallo and Toyman. But after a few minutes, the fight was over. Brainiac showed up about three minutes later. He might have been the reason why this happened. But he wasn't carrying any type of weapon…. At least I don’t think so.” I give a small smile. “That’s actually more than I remembered this morning.”  
“The memories must be coming back. Brainiac must have been carrying a weapon. Otherwise, how did this happen?” Poe asks. I frown again. 

“Exactly. But I really can’t remember any type of weapon.” 

“Huh. Did Metallo or Toyman have any weapons?” 

“Obviously. But I only got knocked out after I fought Brainiac. It’s possible that the other two might have done something when I wasn't looking, but my suit should have picked up that. Or Alfred would have told me.” I lean back. Poe grins. 

“Not to digress or anything, but Alfred’s is one of the most sassiest people I’ve ever met. And I’ve known my sister for fourteen years.”

I laugh a little. “Yeah, Alfred’s been in my family ever since I was little. You’re fourteen?”

“Sixteen. Chloe’s two years younger.” Poe’s smile starts disappearing. “I never thought I’d say this, but I miss her.” 

I nod. I know what he means. “We never know how much we value people until we can’t talk to them. I’ll fix this.” 

Poe shakes his head. “No. We’ll fix this together.”

“Poe-”

“You can’t do this by yourself. You weigh almost nothing. And you have almost no strength. If you try to take on whoever did this to us, they’ll kill you, and I don’t want to be Bruce Wayne forever. I won't get in your way.”

“That’s what they all say.” I grumble, but I nod anyway.

“Cool.”

“No, it isn't.” 

“No, it isn't.”

“Hmph.”

Poe grins. Then he becomes serious again. “So, if it was Brainiac, we need to figure out what he used. And we need his weaknesses.”

“I can tell you the main ones, or at least the ones that work when we fight him as a league. But you can get the little ones later when you have dinner with Superman.” 

Poe’s eyebrows furrow. “I’m not going to see Superman anytime soon, am I?” He asks. 

“Oh.” 

“What?”

Oh, well. I don’t think he's gonna tell all his friends if I tell him who Superman is.

“You have a meeting with him tonight. Alfred might have reminded you.” 

Poe thinks for a few seconds, and then his eyes widen, and his mouth drops open. 

“You’re kidding.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Oki Ashi here!  
> As you can see, I'm running a little behind on I'm Not Batman right now, because I just started school a few days ago, so everything's been kinda crazy. However, my goal is to finish the story by 7 pm tomorrow. Sorry for any inconvenience. I may have to extend this story into two works. Idk. I'll let you know at the end of this work. But in all in all, I like writing from both Bruce's and Poe's POVs, and I hope you like reading from their POVs as well. Anyway, I'll chat with you guys later, so see you later, hopefully! Remember to give any helpful feedback!  
> Cya,  
> -Oki Ashi


	5. A Short Biography Of Braniac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This title explains everything.

Poe’s POV

“Master Bruce, you do realize I can hear you pacing around upstairs?” Alfred calls upstairs. I’ve been walking around and worrying for about two hours now. Damian is outside playing with his dog. I think his name is Titus.  
“Sorry Alfred!” I call back down. Batman had told me that he thinks Alfred knows something’s up, but I still force myself to stop walking in case Damian walks in. I check my watch. Apparently, Superman (sorry, Clark), is supposed to show up at five. It’s four forty five already. I start going over what Batman told me.  
He doubts that Clark knows about anymore weaknesses of Brainiac's than the main ones. Still, he recommends talking to Superman about Brainiac.  
Batman told me that Brainiac is most powerful when he’s close to his spaceship, the Skullship. When separated from his ship for a long time, he becomes weaker. If he’s abruptly taken away from his ship, he can be disabled for a short time.  
_“That being said,” he told me, “he’s one of the Justice League’s greatest enemies. He has the ability to control minds and posses people. He also has a belt that can protect him from Superman’s blows. He can duplicate himself, manipulate computer systems-”_  
_“So what you’re saying is that he has a couple weaknesses, and a bunch of powers?” I interrupted._  
_“Yes.”_  
_I let air out of my lungs. “So, the fight lasted for hours last night?”_  
_He looked down. “I don’t know. I don’t even know if we defeated him before I blacked out.” He looked up. “Did we?”_  
_“I-” I think. I kinda regretted not opening my eyes last night when I heard Superman and Wonder Woman talking. “I wasn't fully conscious. I guess you did, but I don’t know. I don’t even know what time I first woke up as you.”_  
_“That’s fine. I didn't wake up after I passed out until this morning.”_  
_“Oh.” I could see he was frustrated. He wasn't used to this, and I wasn't either._  
_“Should I tell Superman what happened?” I asked._  
_He shook his head. “No. At least not yet. If he hints that Brainiac is still active, find out those plans and tell me next time you see me.”_  
_“Ok.”_  
_“How much expencerience have you had in fighting?” He asked. I tensed a little._  
_“None.”_  
_“So what’s going to happen if the Bat Signal shines tonight?”_  
_“Um.”_  
_He sighed. “Do you at least know how to make a fist?”_  
_“Yes.”_  
_“Are you good at sneaking around?”_  
_“Yes.”_  
_“Let me hear your Batman voice.”_  
_“Oh. Uhhh….”_  
_About twenty minutes later, I finally could finally do a decent Batman voice._  
_“Just don’t talk that much if you’re fighting. Explore your suit when you go back to the Manor.” Batman said._  
_“Oh. Alright.”_  
_A few minutes later, we decided that there wasn't really anything else to say. “Are you sure?” I asked._  
_“Yes. I have a plan, but I need you to talk to Superman about Brainiac before I can tell you it. I’ll sneak out around one so you can update me.”_  
_“But what if Chloe or my mom check in on you?”_  
_“I have a plan for that too.”_  
_“Okay. So I guess, I’ll see you then?”_  
_“Yes.”_  
_So Batman left and I doodled for a little bit. At two, I called Neil and told him that I was going to leave early. He seemed fine with that, so I left._  
*******  
A bell rings. I can hear it all the way up here.  
“Bruce!” Alfred calls.  
“I heard it.” I run down the stairs.  
“Oh, hello, Clark.” Alfred says. I quickly use to fingerprint ID to unlock my phone and text Damian to come inside. Then I turn the corner.  
“Hey, Bruce.” Supe- I mean, Clark says.  
“Clark.” I say, hoping I don’t look nervous.  
“Hello, Clark.” Damian says, coming in from behind him. That kid is like a ninja, I swear.  
“Damian!”  
“Clark, you know where the dining room is. Dinner will be served in a few minutes.”  
“Need help?” I ask, on reflex.  
“Look who’s trying to be helpful. Thank you, Master Bruce, but you may sit down as well.” Alfred’s mouth twitches upward. “Same goes to you Damian. After you wash Titus’s paws.” Damian nods.  
I follow Clark down to dining room. I can’t believe I’m having dinner with Superman.


	6. Method To His Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'll see

Poe’s POV

“So.” Clark says, fiddling with a soup spoon. I don’t say anything. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” He huffs. I quickly come up with an excuse.  
“I’m just concerned about Brainiac. He’s going to attack again.” Boom. Killing two birds with one stone.  
“Oh. Right. We barely contained him last night. He’s in one of Metropolis's top prisons. But, yes, he’ll probably get out again. The Justice League talked about it today at the Watchtower.” I frown.  
“Why wasn't I informed?”  
“Uh… Well, we tried to call you, but you didn't answer. Then we called Damian and he told us that you were hanging out with some kid or something?” Clark looks sheepish, but more than a little curious.  
“He wanted to talk to me about an internship. Not sure that I’m going to go through with it though.”  
“Yeah, I was about to say, you don’t seem to be the mentor type. Apart from when you’re Batman, of course.” I nod, searching for a way to bring back the conversation back to Brainiac.  
“Do you know of any other weaknesses that he has?”  
“Who, Brainiac?”  
“No, Alfred. Of course Brainiac!” Where did that come from?! I really need to become Poe again.  
“No need to get so snappy. He doesn't have any weaknesses apart from the ones I told you about.”  
“Hm. Did you see any weapons that the rest of us might have missed last night?”  
“No. Why?” He sets the spoon down. Uh oh. Have I screwed up all ready?  
“I just feel like something’s wrong.”  
Damian comes in, with Titus following behind him.  
“Damian.”  
“Father?”  
“We talked about Titus in the living room while we’re eating.” Good thing Batman told me about that rule right before he left his office. Apparently Titus knocked over a very expensive vase trying to find reach a piece of food Damian had accidently dropped, and Alfred lost it. It supposedly wasnt the first time this had happened either.  
Damian looks indignant. “But Father-”  
“Damian.” He huffs and shoos Titus away. Clark gives a small smile. Then he looks at me again and his eyes sharpen behind his glasses.  
“Continue. Your hunches are usually right so…” He says. Intrigued, Damian takes a seat next to Clark.  
I clear my throat. “I got a tip from an acquaintance that something dangerous and powerful might be in Brainiac's possession.”  
Clark shakes his head. “The guards searched him. They couldn't find anything.”  
“He might have a safe house.”  
“Maybe, but he isn't one of those villains.”  
“He might be trying to throw us off his track.” Damian speaks up.  
“That’s a lot of maybes and mights. Who knows, maybe your source works for him.” Not likely.  
I tap my foot impatiently. It doesn't make sense. Where would Brainiac hide a weapon? I think back to my knowledge about him. And suddenly, it clicks.  
“He shrunk it. He has the means to shrink whole cities, why not a weapon?”  
Clark nods, but his mouth is turned down.  
“But that doesn't explain why I couldn't spot a weapon when we were fighting.”  
“That’s the problem.” I agree. Batman’s phone buzzes. I take it out, meaning to stuff it back in my pocket again right away, but I pause. It’s an unknown number, but that isn't what makes me hesitate.  
**Look out the window.**  
I excuse myself quickly, and run to the closest window. My heart speeds up. The Bat Signal is on.  
********  
“Need help?” Clark asks when I tell the others. I’m tempted to say yes, but I force myself to say no.  
“Alright.”  
“We’ll talk later.”  
“Of course.”  
Damian runs downstairs, calling Titus to follow him. Titus zooms by, and bumps another vase, but Clark catches it first. I nod at him then run downstairs as well.  
******  
“Hello, Batman.” I resist the urge to look around. Chief Commissioner is standing next to the Bat Signal, arms crossed.  
“Gordon.” If my voice is off, he doesn't show it.  
“The Joker’s pulling something again at the Gotham History museum.” Shoot. Oh well, at least it isn't Bane.  
“We’ll stop him.” Robin says, getting ready to use his grappling hook. I take out mine as well, then aim for a rooftop in the direction of the museum. I hold my breath then fire. The hook latches onto something, and soon I’m zooming upward. Hey, I didn't fail!  
A few rooftops later, we’re at the museum. We sneak in. Someone laughs behind us.  
“Well, look who it is- Batsy and Robin!!” The Joker grins. 


	7. My Secret Superpower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe has discovered a superpower he didn't know he had.

Poe's POV

For a moment, I’m paralyzed. It’s one thing when you see a picture or video of the Joker on the internet- it’s another when you’re face to face with him. It’s even worse if he thinks that you’re Batman. Good thing he doesn't really want to kill the Bat. But, if I’m not careful, he might wind up killing me accidently.

I snap back into reality. “So, what is it this time, Joker?” I growl.

“I just felt like going art shopping tonight.”

“Hm. Well, these pictures aren't for sale.”

“Ooh, you’re in a sassy mood tonight, aren't you?”

“You’re really wanting to go to jail tonight, are you?” God. He’s right.

Robin bites his lip. At first I think he’s getting mad, but I realize he’s holding in laughter. This gives me an idea.

“What’d you have dinner today?” The Joker cocks his head.

“Whatever it was, it’s was better than the food at Arkham.”

“Obviously. Batsy, please stop putting me down. You’re embarrassing me.”

“You can get embarrassed?”

“Okay, witty. Look, are you gonna fight me or not?”

“If you give up, no I won’t.”

“Not likely.” He grins.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Hmm. Well, what if I sign something for you?”

“Wait really?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Guess I can sell that. But I still want art.”

“So you still want to get punched in the face.”

“....” Then a bunch of ooos sound. Looks like the Joker’s henchmen are listening in. I fight back a smile. This is getting fun.

Robin jumps down and quickly rounds up the other criminals while the Joker’s still sputtering. Sirens wail.

“BASTY! I didn't even get to fight you today!”

“Poor you.” I grab one of those thingies that Batman always catches criminals with- you know, the ones that are rope with weights at the ends? Anyway, I throw that at his feet, they tie him up, and and he falls down. He rolls his eyes.

A moment later, the police burst in.

“Stop, police!” I shake my head in exasperation. Seeing that they’re outnumbered, the henchmen surrender, and the Joker does too, not that he has a choice. I hear someone whisper to his friend, “Getting beat up by Robin was worth it; we got see Bats sass the Joker and give him a taste of his own medicine.” His friend nods.

I smile a little. It’s funny. I was never like this before. If the school bully, Alpha, ever cornered me in the hallway, I would cower and apologize for what I did, even if I didn't do anything. I’m almost grateful to the Joker for teaching how to stand up for myself.

*******

I drive the Batmobile out of the alley way. I’m actually forcing myself not to smile. I look over to Robin.

He looks like he’s trying not to smile but he’s failing miserably. Finally, he gives in. When he’s smiling, he doesn't look nearly as intimidating.

“Where did that come from, Father?”

“I didn't feel like fighting.”

“That’s a first.”

“You know that’s not true, Robin.”

“Hmph.” He sounds exactly like his father. He leans back and closes his eyes for a little bit.

A few minutes later, we’re back at the Batcave. Thankfully, my new body had automatically known where the Batcave was, so I didn't even have to really focus. I just relied on my instincts.

I start opening the door of the car when someone attacks me. I’m about to punch, when I realize Robin on top of me and glaring at me. He’s a little terrifying. He pushes my throat with his arm and scowls deeper.

“You and I both know that you’re not who you say you are. So I’m going to give you five seconds to tell me where my father is, starting now.

5.

4.

3.

2.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, readers!  
> First of all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it wasn't a typical action scene, but I suck at writing them, and I wanted to show a bit more character development from Poe. If you're wondering what's going on with Bruce, don't worry! The next chapter is from his point of view.  
> Also, I wanted to to point out that I am going through with my idea into turning this into a series. Spoiler alert: it's only two stories long including this one. I'll talk more about The Other Side series next chapter. That's all I really wanted to tell you.  
> 'Kay, talk to you later!  
> Oki Ashi!


	8. Who (Or What) Dun It?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce, Damian, and Poe discuss what caused Bruce and Poe to switch bodies.

 

Bruce’s POV

 

I check my watch for the fifth time in four minutes. I’m getting frustrated. I told the kid that I’d be here (at the Coffee Shop) around one. I tap my foot and cross my arms. 

I’m not in the Coffee Shop, not yet. I’m hiding in a alley. But I can see everyone who comes in the Coffee Shop, or near it, and not one of them is Poe. I sigh softly.

Suddenly, I hear someone talking. 

“I swear, if this is some kind of joke, I’ll take you to the Asylum myself.” The person huffs. I know that voice. 

“Ba- Bruce?” A second voice calls. I step out of the alley.

“Sure, let’s let everyone know what happened.” I growl. 

“Sorry.”

“Is that for calling me Bruce or being late?” 

“I’m not late.”

“It’s one forty.” 

“..... You said you’d be here around one. You weren't very specific.” He grouches. Damian has been watching this whole charade with his mouth slightly open.

“Close your mouth, Damian. I’m assuming that you screwed up as our ‘mutual friend,’” I tell Poe, “and Damian realized what happened.”

“I didn't do so bad.” Poe grumbles. I look at Damian for confirmation.

“He was decent.” I know there’s something they aren't telling me, but there are more pressing matters ahead. 

“Did you bring the car?” 

“Yes.” Damian says for Poe. I see him roll his eyes.

I shake my head at him, warning him to not let Damain get to him, but it’s too late. “I can talk, you know.” I sigh, then interrupt before Damian can say anything.

“Where is it? We can talk in there.”

********

It’s only been a day, but it seems like forever since I’ve been in this car. I sit down in the driver's seat. 

“I’m not going to drive it.” I say before Poe can protest. He sighs and sits in the passenger seat. Damian sits behind him. 

We quickly catch him up with everything that happened today, and then Poe tells me about his theory about the shrink ray. 

“The only problem is, Superman didn't see any type of weapon last night… Do you know of anything that can do what he did to us?” Poe asks. I think for a moment. Nothing. Frustration swells up in me, but then I remember something. 

“Damian, remember that stone that was stolen a year or two ago? Pure black, but with a glossy finish? Everyone thought it was fake, but scientists realized that it was always that way? It wasn't obsidian, though.”

Damian perks up. “The Mea Huna Stone.”  
I nod and turn to look at Poe. “Exactly. Mea huna means mystery in Hawaiian, and the stone was just that. It was pretty big, around twenty two inches. It was about two thousand years old, and was found near Kauai, and close to one hundred twenty five feet underwater.”

“Dang.” Poe says.

“There were two odd things about this stone. The first one was that when scientists analyzed the stone, they couldn't find out what the stone was made of. There wasn't a material on Earth like it.”

“Wait. You mean, the stone was from outer space?” Poe’s eyes grow big.

“Yes. Well, now technically it was a meteor, and meteors have a bad reputation of hiding things inside them. So the Justice League was called in. We monitored the stone, but nothing happened. After a few months, our attention was drawn to other things. But less than a week later, the museum where the stone was being held got robbed. The only thing that was missing was the stone.”

“Hold on. Two questions. The first one is, how exactly did the museum get effectively robbed? I mean, there were security guards, cameras, and the alarm would have been heard by one of the superheroes, right? And the second thing is, how do you smuggle a twenty two inch meteor out of a museum?”

“The room was sprayed with sleeping gas, and the alarm was tampered with so it didn't sound. As to the smuggling portion, it was easy to carry the stone away. That’s the other unique thing about the stone. It weighs only five pounds.” 

There’s a silence. Then Poe asks another question.

“And apart from the weight and the place that its from, nothing else was different about the stone?”

“Correct.”

“But then why did the robbers steal in it the first place? And what does this have to do with anything, Father?” Damian asks. He wasn't part of the investigation of the theft, and I had never really told him what I thought had actually happened. No time like the present.

“We never found out. The others thought it had something to do with money, but I searched through the black market and found nothing. So either the thief was hiding the stone extremely well, or it was for a different reason. The stone had not shown any special powers then, but the powers may have been delayed.”

“You mean, the stone may cause people to switch personalities?” Poe asks, and he and Damian look at each other, the first time without distaste this entire time. 

“Precisely. The stone has been a side project that I’ve been working on for a while. I never found it, but this could be the closest I’ve ever gotten.”

“Why would Brainiac want it, though?”

“That, I’m not completely sure about. But we’re close to finding out.”

“We?” Damian asks, smirking. I sigh. 

“You might as well join us.” Damian grins now. 

Poe’s phone dings. He picks it up, draws in a sharp breath, then shows us the message. 

**Bruce. Damian. Poe. We need to talk. Now.**

It's Superman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers!  
> Wew! Story 1 of The Other Side done. I know, I know, there was a TON of dialogue, but I hope you enjoyed this story anyway, and will read the next part. I also know that the ending of this story was way over deadline, but I finally finished it! I love exploring Poe's and Bruce's dynamic, it's really fun. Also, I had to add Damian to spice things up a little, as well as Superman. And of course, I had to include Alfred because he's amazing. Anyway, I promise to tell you more about the second story. The next one I'm planning on being around 6 chapters, but idk... That's when everything will wrap up. Be ready to see the characters mentioned here and more later on!  
> Ooof, I gtg, so see you later!  
> Oki Ashi

**Author's Note:**

> Hey readers!  
> It's me again. Sorry for not writing in a while. So this was the first chapter of I'm Not Batman. The next chapter will be told from Batman's POV, and the rest of the story will alternate between Poe and Batman. I'm gonna try and finish this story by August 22nd, although I might be a little late like last time. If you're a returning reader, you know that I tell you guys anything that has been changed since the first chapter. If you aren't, well, know you know! I hope you liked this chapter and will continue to read the rest of the story. As always, any suggestions and/or feedback is welcomed!  
> Thanks for reading!  
> -Oki Ashi


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